LAMONT’S MUSIC NOTES-AUGUST 15 2019-ONE OF THE MOST HALLOWED EVENTS IN POP CULTURE TOOK PLACE ON THIS DATE IN 1969 WITH CLOSE TO AN ESTIMATED 1,000,000 PEOPLE SHOWING UP FOR THE “WOODSTOCK MUSIC FESTIVAL.”
THE FESTIVAL WAS BILLED AS THE “AQUARIAN EXPERIENCE: 3 DAYS OF PEACE AND LOVE” AND THE MASSIVE CONCERT DIDN’T HAPPEN WITHOUT A HITCH.
THERE WERE LAST MINUTE VENUE CHANGES, BAD WEATHER, AND A VIRTUAL ARMY OF ATTENDEES SHOWING UP TO A VENUE THAT WASN’T PREPARED FOR THE MASSIVE ONSLAUGHT OF HUMANITY. PROMOTERS EXPECTED A CROWD OF 50,000 PEOPLE AND BECAUSE OF LAST MINUTE LOGISTICS, AND NO EFFICIENT WAY TO CHARGE THE THRONG OF PEOPLE, ORGANIZERS CHANGED WOODSTOCK TO A FREE CONCERT. HIGHWAYS AND LOCAL ROADS CAME TO A STANDSTILL AND MANY CONCERT GOERS ABANDONED THEIR CARS AND TOOK BY FOOT TO ATTEND THE EVENT.
THERE WAS ALOT OF SEX, DRUGS, RAIN AND ROCK AND ROLL. THERE WERE NO MORE THAN A DOZEN POLICE OFFICERS TO KEEP AND EYE ON THE CROWD, AND OFF-DUTY POLICE OFFICERS WERE BANNED FROM THE VENUE.
THE FIRST BIG ACT TO SIGN UP FOR WOODSTOCK WAS CCR. HAVING CREEDENCE CLEARWATER ON THE BILL GAVE THE FESTIVAL THE STREET CRED IT NEEDED TO ATTRACT OTHER BIG ACTS.
HERE’S A LIST OF THE MUSICIANS AND ACTS IN THE ORDER THEY APPEARED ON DAY ONE:
RICHIE HAVENS
YOGA GURU SRI SWAMI SATCHIDANANDA
BERT SOMMER
SWEETWATER
MELANIE
TIM HARDEN
RAVI SHANKAR
ARLO GUTHRIE
JOAN BAEZ
DAY ONE WRAPPED UP AROUND 2 AM ON THE MORNING OF AUGUST 16TH WITH BAEZ PLAYING IN A TORRENTIAL DOWNPOUR.
DAY TWO STARTED A LITTLE AFTER NOON ON AUGUST 16TH. HERE IS THE LIST OF PERFORMERS AND ACTS IN ORDER:
QUILL
COUNTRY JOE MCDONALD
JOHN SEBASTION
KEEF HARTLEY BAND
SANTANA
THE INCREDIBLE STRINGED BAND
CANNED HEAT
MOUNTAIN
THE GRATEFUL DEAD
CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL
JANIS JOPLIN
SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE
THE WHO
JEFFERSON AIRPLANE
DAY THREE STARTED AT APPROXIMATELY 2PM.
IN THE ORDER OF APPEARANCE THIS WAS THE REMAINING LINEUP:
JOE COCKER
COUNTRY JOE AND THE FISH
TEN YEARS AFTER
THE BAND
JOHNNY WINTER
BLOOD SWEAT AND TEARS
CROSBY STILLS NASH AND YOUNG
PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND
SHA NA NA
JIMI HENDRIX *** HNEDRIX WAS THE FINAL MUSICIAN TO APPEAR AT WOODSTOCK. HORRENDOUS RAIN AND DELAYS CAUSED HIS PERFORMANCE TO BE PUSHED BACK TO MONDAY MORNING. BY THE TIME HENDRIX WAS ABLE TO TAKE THE STAGE, THE CROWD HAD DWINDLED DOWN TO LESS THAN 30,000 PEOPLE.
THIS IS FASCINATING FOOTAGE. THE FIRST DAY OF WOODSTOCK.
THIS IS DAY 2 COVERAGE
DAY 3
